Metallic-cross-tie.



No. 628,215. Patented July 4, I899.

} E. U. STEWART.

METALLIC CROSS TIE.

(Application filed May 4, 1899.)

2 Sheets-:Shmit I.

(No Model.)

77g eAifemge ys,

No. 628,215. Patented July 4, I899.

E. U. STEWART. V

METALLIC CRDSS TIE.

. (Application filed May 4, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

4/? I 6,? 3,? Z! a 4??? 7 212 3230 metallic cross-ties.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

.ELMER U. STEWART, or SHARON, PENNSYLVANIA.

METALLICE-YCROSS-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.- 628,215, dated July 4, 1899.

' Application filed May 4,1399. smart. 715,611. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER U. STEWVAR'La citizen of the United States,-residing at Sharon, in the county of Mercer and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Metallic Gross-Tie, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of metallic cross-v ties and to increase their strengtlndurability,

and efficiency and to provide simple, ineX-.

pensive, and efficient means for detachably securing the rails to the same. The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of.

parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a metallic cross-tie constructed in ac-' spective view of the form of brace shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is a similar View of the end plate of the same. Fig. 13 is a detail perspective View of the socket-plate for supporting the rail-engaging :devioes. Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the construction for clamping a rail-joint and a rail at a point between the ends thereof; a Like numerals of reference designate corre-v sponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a metallic cross-tie constructed of rolled or cast steel or other suitable material and composed of a body portion 2 and a top plate 3, provided at opposite sides with longitudinal flanges 4, which are arranged on the exterior of the sides 5 of the .body portion of the cross-tie and bolted or otherwise secured to the'same. The sides5 may be angularly bent and bowed outward, as illusimprovements in,

vided with vertical sides 7. The body portion of the cross-tie may, as shown in Fig. 8, have outwardly-inclined sides 8, which diverge upwardly; but in each instance the top and bottom of the cross-tie are fiat or horizontal, and the top is provided with longitudinal side flanges which overlap the sides of the crosstie. by end plates 9, conforming to the configuration of the cross-tieand provided at the bottom and sides with flanges 10, arranged at an angle to one another and fitting against the inner faces of the sides and bottom of the cross-tie and secured to the same by bolts or other suitable fastening devices.

The cross-tie is provided betweenits ends with transverse braces 11, located beneath the rails 12, and consisting ofplates having horizontal upper and lower edges and oppositely-inclined side edges to conform to the configuration of the inner faces of the crossties, and they are provided at opposite sides with inclined laterally-extending plates or flanges 13, which are bolted or otherwise secured to' the lower portions of the sides of the cross-tie. The braces. are provided with centrally-arranged recesses or openings 1a to enable the operator to obtain access to the inner portion of the cross-ties, so that the fastening devices of the rail-clampsmay be readily ma- The ends of the cross-tie l are closednipulated when it is desired to remove and replace a rail. 7

v The rectangular cross-tie and the cross-tie having straight oppositely-inclined sides are provided with end plates 15 andl6, conforming to the configuration of such cross-ties and provided with marginal flanges, which are bolted or otherwise secured to the inner faces of the bottom and sides of the cross-ties. The cross-tie S, which has upwardly-diverging sides, ,is'supported by transverse braces 17 but the rectangular cross-tie, which has vertical sides, does not require any. The transverse braces 17, which are constructed similar to the braces 14-, consist of plates provided with side flanges 18 and having openings 19 arranged at the center of the braces and at the upper edges thereof.

In order to facilitate further the manipulation of the fastening devices of the rail-clam ps and other parts secured to the cross-ties, the latter are provided with openings 20, of rectangular form, located at the inner sides of the railsand normally covered by rectangular plates 21, preferably pivoted at 22 at one of the corners thereof. The plates are adapted to be readily swung on their pivots to uncover and cover the said openings 20.

The rails 12 are secured to the cross-tie 1 by clamps 23, consisting of plates 24 and 25, disposed transversely of the rails and provided with oppositely-disposed jaws 26,10-

cated at the sides of the rails and engaging the bottom flanges thereof. The plates or sections 24 of the rail-engaging clamp are bolted or otherwise secured to the top of the crosstie and their adjacent longitudinal edges are interlocked, being provided with transverse tongues 27 and similarly-arranged recesses 28. The tongue of one plate or section is arranged adjacent to the jaw thereof and is disposed opposite the recess of the opposite section, and the matching portions thus formed fit together, and by being interlocked in this manner are firmly held against longitudinal movement independent of each other, whereby the jaws are retained in engagement with the rails and are absolutely prevented from spreading.

The outer side edges of the sections of the rail-clamp are provided with longitudinal recesses 29 and are engaged by oppositely-disposed substantially rectangular socket-plates 30. The socket-plates 30 are composed of parallel sides and connecting portions, and they form yokes for connecting and embracing the ends of the plates or sections. The outer portions of the plates or sections are perforated for the reception of bolts, and the transverse portions of the socket-plates are provided with similar perforations and are bolted to the top of the cross-tie.

Instead of forming the rail-clamp of sections disposed longitudinally of the cross-tie a rail-clamp may be composed of sections 32, disposed at opposite sides of the rails and ar ranged transversely of the cross-ties, being provided at their inner edges with jaws for engaging the bottom flanges of the rails. These plates 32, which are bolted to the crosstie, are arranged within and supported by socket-plates, and they are also adapted for engaging the fish-plates, as clearly shown in Fig. 12 of the accompanying drawings.

The rails may be secured at intervals by clamps 33, consisting of small plates having jaws at their inner edges, and it is designed to arrange the small and large clampingplates at intervals to secure the necessary strength and stability of a track.

The invention has the following advantages: The cross-tie and the rail-engagin g devices, which are simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, possess great strength and durability, and while they are practically indestructible they may be readily separated and quickly assembled to permit a rail to be removed and replaced or renewed.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. I

What is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising a cross-tie composed of a body portion having a bottom and sides, a top provided with flanges overlapping the sides, and the end plates arranged within, conforming to the configuration of and supporting the crosstie, substantially as described. I

2. A device of the class described comprising a rail consisting of a body port-ion having a bottom and sides, a top provided with longitudinal sideflangesoverlapping and secured to the sides of the cross-tie, and the ends. arranged within and conforming to the configuration of the top bottom and sides of the crosstie and provided with opposite flanges secured to the sides of the cross-tie, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, a crosstie comprisinga body portion havinga bottom and inclined sides, a top supported by the sides, and the transverse braces located beneath the rails and conforming to the configuration of the top bottom and sides of the cross-tie, and supporting the same, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described comprising a body portion havinginclined sides, a top portion supported by the sides, and a transverse brace consisting of a plate conforming to the configuration of the top bottom and sides, provided with an opening and having opposite flanges secured to the sides of the cross-tie, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described,a crosstie composed of a body portion having a bottom and sides,a top provided with side flanges overlapping the sides of the tie, end plates conforming to the configuration of the crosstie and provided with flanges secured to the same, and the transverse braces consisting of plates provided with openings and having flanges secured to the tie, substantially as described. 7

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a cross-tie, of clamping plates mounted thereon, and socket-plates secured to the cross-tie and forming yokes re ceiving the clamping-plates and supporting the same, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a cross-tie, of a rail-clamp composed of clamping-plates disposed longitudinally of the tie, provided with opposite jaws and having their inner edges interlocked, and the socket-plates forming yokes receiv ingthe ends of the plates and holding the same against lateral separation, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a cross-tie, of clampingplates arranged longitudinally of the crosstie and provided with opposite jaws, and the socket-plates forming yokes and receiving the adjacent ends of the clamping-plates, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a cross-tie, a pair of clampin g-plates disposed longitudinally thereof and having their inner edges interlocked and provided at their outer edges with recesses, said 15 plates having rail-engaging j aws,and the substantially rectangular socket-plate forming yokes and consisting of sides fitting in the said recesses, and connecting-pieces arranged at the outer ends of the sides, substantiall as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as w my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ELMER U. STEWART.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. ELLIOTT, W. W. SERVICE. 

